Investing Updates : CNA Explains: Singapore's tightened crypto licensing rules – 'closing the door' or 'raising the bar'?

Source : 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/crypto-licensing-mas-cna-explains-5186446

Apple Intelligence : 

• Regulation Target: Unlicensed cryptocurrency firms operating in Singapore that only serve overseas markets.

• Regulation Deadline: June 30.

• Regulation Goal: Closing a loophole and ensuring digital token service providers meet the same standards to bolster trust and align with global anti-money laundering efforts.

• Regulation Impact: Singapore’s Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is implementing stricter regulations on cryptocurrency firms, impacting both licensed and unlicensed entities.

• Licensing Challenges: While major players like Coinbase and OKX have obtained licenses, smaller firms face difficulties in obtaining licenses and complying with new regulations.

• Industry Response: Larger firms are adapting by relocating staff and operations, while smaller firms may face compliance costs, legal restructuring, or shutdown.

• Impact on Employees: Employees working for digital token firms generally do not have to relocate due to MAS’ stricter rules.

• Industry Reaction: Singapore’s approach to crypto, while not universally embraced, has been consistent.

• Compliance Efforts: Centralized exchanges have implemented enhanced KYC and AML measures to comply with regulations and prevent illicit activities.

• MAS’s Stance on Crypto Businesses: Firms with a substantive presence in Singapore, including servicing local customers, can still obtain licenses.

• Industry Preparation Time: The industry has had sufficient time to prepare for licensing requirements since the Financial Services and Markets Act was passed in April 2022.

• Impact of MAS’s Decision: A small number of providers are affected, and it doesn’t signify hostility towards digital assets but rather emphasizes meeting Singapore’s standards.

Rewards Updates : Crypto Exchanges Referral Rewards Ending?

Opinion : 

I've noticed recently many crypto exchanges in SG stopping their referral program rewards.

That's bad news. Not sure why they aren't allowed to give incentives like traditional brokerages.

Markets are around all time high right now. Personally, I'm waiting for some pullback to DCA. Meantime, let's enjoy the remaining school holidays.

Investing Updates : Crypto awareness in Singapore hits record 94%, but ownership falls

Source : 

https://cointelegraph.com/news/singapore-crypto-awareness-2024-survey?utm_source=feedly_feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound

Apple Intelligence : 

• Crypto Awareness: Reached a record high of 94% in Singapore.

• Crypto Ownership: Declined to 29% in 2025 from 40% in 2024.

• Investor Demographics: Millennials and Gen X dominate the investor base, comprising 71% of all holders.

• Bitcoin Dominance: Bitcoin remains the most popular cryptocurrency in Singapore, held by 68% of investors and viewed as a currency, store of value, or investment asset by 86%.

• Investment Strategies: Direct ownership is preferred over ETFs, and arbitrage trading is on the rise, with 67% of respondents capitalizing on price swings.

• Singapore’s Crypto Hub Status: Singapore leads the world in blockchain patents, crypto-related jobs, and active cryptocurrency exchanges, solidifying its position as a global hub.

Investing Updates : Brave Wallet Adds Cardano Support

Source : 

https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/cryptocurrency-news/brave-wallet-adds-cardano-support/

Apple Intelligence : 

• Cardano Integration: Brave Wallet will support Cardano, allowing users to trade Cardano-native tokens.

• Partnership Goal: The partnership aims to improve Web3 interoperability, privacy, and user control.

• Cardano Functionality: Cardano users can manage assets, sign transactions, and participate in on-chain governance within Brave Wallet.

• Brave Wallet Integration: Brave Wallet now supports Cardano, expanding its multi-chain capabilities.

• Partnership Vision: Brave and IO share a vision for a more secure, accessible, and user-respecting Web3.

• Potential Expansion: The partnership could lead to Brave supporting IO’s Midnight sidechain for confidential smart contracts.

Investing Updates : Coinbase to become the first crypto firm to join the S&P 500

Source : 

https://cointelegraph.com/news/coinbase-listed-s-and-p-500-may-19?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound

Apple Intelligence : 

• Coinbase’s Inclusion: Coinbase will join the S&P 500 on May 19, becoming the first crypto firm in the index.

• S&P 500 Significance: The S&P 500 tracks the performance of 500 large US companies and is a broad measure of the US stock market.

• Impact on Coinbase: Inclusion in the S&P 500 is expected to increase demand for Coinbase stock as index funds and ETFs must buy its shares.

• Stock Performance: Coinbase shares rose 8.8% to $225.4 in after-hours trading and finished the trading day up 4%.

• Market Recognition: Coinbase’s inclusion in the S&P 500 index is seen as a major milestone for the company and the crypto industry.

• S&P 500 Inclusion Criteria: Companies must be profitable, trading on a major US stock exchange, generating at least half of their revenues in the US, and have a market cap above $18 billion.

Investing Updates : Hacking Attempt on Lido Results in 1.4 Ether Lost From Oracle Provider

Source : 

https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2025/05/12/ethereum-staking-giant-lido-loses-just-14-eth-in-hacking-attempt

Apple Intelligence : 

• Security Incident: Lido, Ethereum’s largest liquid staking protocol, experienced a security breach involving a compromised oracle key.

• Impact of the Breach: 1.46 ETH in gas fees were stolen, but no user funds were compromised.

• Response to the Incident: Lido initiated an emergency DAO vote to rotate the compromised oracle key and enhance security.

• Security Incident: Lido experienced a security incident involving a compromised oracle key.

• Impact of the Incident: The incident resulted in the theft of 1.46 ETH in gas fees, but no user funds were affected.

• Lido’s Response: Lido launched an emergency DAO vote to rotate the compromised key and implement enhanced security measures.

• Security Incident: A hack occurred on Lido’s oracle operator.

• Mitigation Efforts: A new secure address is replacing the compromised address, with an on-chain vote already approved.

• Impact: The hack coincided with unrelated node issues experienced by other oracle operators.

Investing Updates : DeFi lending TVL is outpacing DEXs due to more sustainable yield — VC

Source : 

https://cointelegraph.com/news/crypto-lending-tvl-outpacing-dexs-vc-explains?utm_source=feedly_feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound

Apple Intelligence : 

• DeFi Lending TVL Growth: DeFi lending protocols have seen a surge in total value locked (TVL), surpassing $53.6 billion and representing 43% of all DeFi protocols.

• DEX TVL Decline: DEXs have experienced a significant drop in TVL, falling from $85.3 billion in November 2021 to $21.5 billion.

• Reason for the Shift: Investors may be seeking more sustainable yields, as DeFi lending offers a more reliable source of income compared to DEX liquidity pooling, which is often impacted by impermanent loss.

• DeFi Lending Dominance: DeFi-based crypto lending now accounts for 65% of the total market, surpassing centralized lenders.

• DeFi Lending Market Growth: DeFi open borrows surged by nearly 960% between Q4 2022 and Q4 2024, leading the resurgence in crypto lending activity.

• Reasons for DeFi Success: The strong recovery of DeFi lending is attributed to its design, risk management, and benefits of algorithmic, overcollateralized borrowing models.

Technology Updates : Sam Altman-backed startup makes optical scanner to detect humans from AI

Source : 

https://sea.mashable.com/tech/37479/sam-altman-backed-startup-makes-optical-scanner-to-detect-humans-from-ai

Apple Intelligence : 

• Device Functionality: The Orb Mini, a smartphone-sized device with eye sensors, scans irises to create unique IDs stored on a blockchain.

• Project Goal: The World project aims to create a global identification system to verify humanity in a world where distinguishing between humans and AI is difficult.

• Potential Applications: Beyond verifying humanity, the technology could be used for identity verification on dating apps and as part of payment tools.

• Incentive for Eye Scanning: Users will receive 16 Worldcoin (WLD) for scanning their eyes with Orb devices.

• Worldcoin (WLD): A new cryptocurrency tied to the World human verification project.

• Orb Device Functionality: Users scan their eyes into the system.

Investing Updates : Ledger Live enables stablecoin yields directly from self-custody with new Kiln integration

Source : 

https://www.theblock.co/post/352160/ledger-live-usdc-usdt-usds-dai-stablecoin-yield-self-custody-kiln?utm_source=telegram1&utm_medium=social

Apple Intelligence : 

• New Feature: Ledger Live now allows users to earn stablecoin yields directly from self-custody.

• Supported Stablecoins: The feature supports USDC, USDT, USDS, and DAI.

• Yield Rate: Users can earn a passive income of 5% to 9.9% on supported stablecoins.

• DeFi Integration: Ledger Live app now supports DeFi yields, allowing users to access DeFi protocols directly.

• Security Enhancement: The integration eliminates the need for third-party web3 wallets, enhancing security and simplifying the user experience.

• User-Friendly Access: Users can easily deposit funds and select desired protocols with clear signing for transparent transactions.

• Partnership Goal: Ledger and Kiln collaborated to provide native access to liquid staking token restaking on EigenLayer within the Ledger Live interface.

• Kiln’s Role: Kiln manages over $11 billion in crypto assets, operating around 4.5% of Ethereum’s and 2.6% of Solana’s total staked assets.

• Ledger’s Market Share: Ledger claims that its devices secure over 20% of the world’s crypto assets.

Technology Updates : Hardware wallet Ledger helps competitor Trezor resolve security vulnerability

Source : 

https://cointelegraph.com/news/trezor-resolves-security-flaw-identified-by-ledger

Apple Intelligence : 

• Security Flaw Discovered: Ledger’s open-source research arm discovered a security vulnerability in Trezor’s Safe 3 and 5 models.

• Vulnerability Details: Cryptographic operations could be performed on the microcontroller, potentially making the devices vulnerable to advanced attacks.

• Patch Implemented: Trezor has patched the vulnerability, addressing the security flaw found by Ledger.

• Trezor Security Issue: Ledger demonstrated a vulnerability in Trezor’s firmware integrity check, allowing attackers to bypass it.

• Trezor’s Response: Trezor confirmed the issue was resolved but didn’t disclose the method used. They also stated that user funds remained safe and no action was required.

• Ledger’s Security Breaches: Ledger has also faced security breaches, including a hacker stealing $484,000 worth of crypto assets in December 2023 and another threat actor publishing the mailing addresses of 270,000 customers in June 2020.

Investing Updates : Big Winners of US Crypto Policy

Source:

https://x.com/cointelegraph/status/1897074747071963168?s=12

BIG WINNERS OF U.S. CRYPTO POLICY: $XRP, $ADA, and $SOL are thriving, with $AVAX awaiting recognition and $SUI, $FIL, $APT, $NEAR, and $MOVE gaining momentum after White House invitations. Meanwhile, $LINK, $LTC, $DOT, and $HBAR are stronger candidates for the strategic reserve than memecoins.